


No more masters

by lastcrazyhorn



Series: Sincerely, The Freak [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Somewhat Epistolary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-14 16:36:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14773245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastcrazyhorn/pseuds/lastcrazyhorn
Summary: Severus' loyalty has always lain with the Potter boy, even if he no longer answers to that name.





	1. Chapter 1

“The boy has disappeared, Albus,” Severus spat.

Shadowed blue eyes stared back at him in shock.

“And what of Voldemort?”  

Severus flinched in pain at the sound of the accursed name.

“The Dark Lord is every bit as flummoxed by this as you are.”

“Do you think that Harry is responsible for his relatives’ deaths?”  Albus wondered aloud.

Severus scowled.  

“If he is, then I feel certain that he was justified.”

He swirled and made to stride from the room.

“You believe that he was mistreated?”

Severus scowled, but dutifully floated over a copy of the letter he had received at the beginning of the week.

Albus read it and was shocked.  

“He refers to himself as, ‘The Freak,’” Severus stated matter-of-factly.  “I feel certain that he did not come up with the name on his own. So yes,” He snarled.  “I believe he was mistreated.”

“The Order will watch the usual places, my boy.  If you receive further correspondence from him, you will send it to me immediately, understand?”  Albus’ eyes were glinty with resolve.

Severus sneered but then nodded and left.  

. . .

He threw back the glass of firewhiskey and shuddered at the burn.

On his lap lay the latest letter from Potter--the one he had _conveniently_ forgotten to mention to Dumbledore.

_Dear Professor Snakey,_

Severus rolled his eyes at the idiocy but managed to control the hysterical laugh that threatened to bubble forth.

_I’m staying with the goblins for a bit while I get on my feet._

“Only you, Potter.”

_They seem to like me.  I think it’s because I treat them like equals.  I can’t imagine why someone would be cruel to the one who holds their money, but apparently the wizarding world is stupider than I thought._

“You have _no_ idea,” Severus whispered, thinking in particular of a certain twinkly eyed bastard.

_I’m learning a lot more than I would during a normal summer.  And eating a lot. The goblins seem to think I should be a bit bigger than I am.  They keep pushing nutrition potions at me._

Severus’ stomach clenched at the unspoken meaning of the boy’s words.

_I never knew that pomegranates were something to be eaten.  I just thought they were used in potions._

He closed his eyes against a wave of sudden vertigo.  His world view was shifting rapidly, enough that his stomach was rolling against the changes.

_Every time I come into a room, the goblins tell me to sit.  To read. To eat. To do all of these things that I’ve never been allowed to do in peace._

Perhaps he would move in with the goblins as well.  He snorted and returned to the ridiculous letter.

_I shaved my head.  And the goblins fixed my eyes.  They also gave me some jewelry that helps with going undetected.  Just thought you should know._

_Oh, and I’m going to meet with Mr Dark Lord at his manor tomorrow.  Feel free to come. 10:14, sharp. Haha. No, really._

Severus silently summoned a calming draught and downed it without shuddering.  The vial fell from unfeeling fingers and shattered on the floor with a tiny tinkling sound.  

The letter was signed the same as before.  

_Sincerely,_

_The Freak_


	2. Chapter 2

“I have reason to believe that Potter is appearing here today, my Lord,” Severus said once he had been given a moment to speak freely.

Voldemort tapped his wand against his chin in a idle way as he thought through what the other man had said.

“I suppose you have surmised who disposed of the ghastly creatures he was related to?” Was all the other man said.

Severus swallowed thickly.  

“I had my suspicions.”

“They were the most . . . cowardly things I have ever had the misfortune to torture,” Voldemort scowled and stood.  “You may rise, Severus.”

He returned to his feet without the groan that tried to eke out of his throat.  

“Where is the boy now?” 

Severus couldn’t help but compare the similarities between the dark lord’s and Dumbledore’s conversations.  He thought better of his own hide than to mention them, though.

“With the goblins.”

“Is he really?”  Even Voldemort looked surprised at the knowledge.  

“He has advised me that he has changed his appearance.  I’m not entirely certain why.”

“I have my own suspicions,” His lord answered without elaborating.

A pop announced the arrival of an elf and then they both looked on stunned as the boy formerly known as Harry Potter appeared in front of them. 

. . .

“This is a nice place,” He said, looking around the room with interest.

It was.  There were tapestries on every wall, and pottery and paintings filled in the dull spots without becoming too showy.  

“How did you get in here?”  Voldemort demanded, pointing his yew wand at the intruder.

He shrugged.  

“Freaks don’t go the usual routes,” Was all he said.

“Mr Potter,” Severus started.

“Freaks don’t get names.  We’re not worth it,” Potter’s smile was there and gone in a blink.

Severus took a step back and stared at the changes the boy had made.  Potter hadn’t been taking the mickey when he had told him that he had shaved his head.  The boy wasn’t bald, but it was a near thing. Gone were his glasses and also . . . his scar?

“How?”  He pointed at the young man’s forehead.

Potter grinned and pointed to a necklace that he had trouble seeing, despite now knowing it existed.

“Hidden,” Was all he said.

“Tabling the issue of how you got here today,” Voldemort once again stepped back into the fray.  “Why are you here?” His wand was still in his hand.

“Oh.  To surrender, of course.”  Potter’s smile was brilliant.

Severus’ breath caught in his throat, before bearing witness to the rare sight of Voldemort being thrown off guard.  

“And if I killed you?”  Voldemort pushed forward, into Potter’s space.

Finally, the boy’s face became serious, somber.

“You could, I suppose,” He answered, staring resolutely at the floor.  

“But?”  Voldemort pushed.

“I don’t want to die.  I just started to live.”  Potter swallowed hard. “I don’t want to be marked, but I won’t stand against you.”

“You’d let me sweep in and take all that’s yours without so much as an argument?”  

Potter shuddered.  

“Don’t have nothing.  Everything is a lie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written Voldemort. So forgive me if you don't like my Voldemort, but this is what came out.


	3. I just want to live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry's a little broken.

“Don’t tell me your little friends have abandoned you?”  Severus scoffed.

“Don’t know.  Didn’t tell them.  They’ve not met the Freak.  They met Harry. Someone I wanted to be.”  The boy shook his head slowly. “Someone that I realised recently I can never be.  You have to be who you are in here,” He tapped his chest. “Everything else is just playing pretend.”  

“Very poetic,” Voldemort sneered, covering up his unease with derision.

Potter’s shoulders slumped more.  

“Where will you go now?  Provided you are allowed to live,” Severus asked, glancing at the dark lord.

“Somewhere no one will look at me?  Somewhere they don’t expect me to be a murderer?  Somewhere that everyone who passes by doesn’t automatically hate me?  I don’t want to be something special. I just . . .” Potter sucked in a shuddering breath.  “I just want to be the me that’s inside my head.”

 **_“And if that perssson turnssss out to be againsst Dumbledore?”_ ** Voldemort hissed.

**_“I’m already againsst Dumbledore.  He’s againsst me.”_ **

“My Lord?” Severus questioned.  

“I think we can accommodate Mister Freak,” Voldemort’s smile was cold and it raised the hackles on the back of his neck.  

“Meaning?”  Potter asked in a wavering tone.

“How would you like to live here?”  

“With you?”  

Potter was trembling.  

“Down the hall," Voldemort amended.

“And I don’t have kill anyone?”  Big green eyes stared out from a far too pale face.  

Severus made a mental note to have the boy checked over by a healer--a _human_ one.

“No.”

The silence in the room was heavy enough that Severus found it difficult to draw in a full breath.

“All right.”  


End file.
